Mark Woodside is a good friend and we've gamed together for over a decade, playing Savage Worlds, GURPS, BESM, Call of Cthulhu and more game systems over the years. We are both great fans of H.P. Lovecraft, Call of Cthulhu, urban fantasy author Charles deLint and Changeling: The Dreaming.
So it comes as no surprise that Mark is the author of Marchland, a Savage Worlds urban fantasy setting book (and also the owner of Hearthstone Games). A second Marchland book, Uncanny Roads, is still in the works and will be available soon (as a completist, I am looking forward to this).
Mark ran the first Marchland adventure for us back in 2010 (you can read about the three sessions here 1, 2, 3). It was a great game and my PC, who had the hindrance Doubting Thomas, spent the whole game disbelieving that magic or the Fae world existed. By the end of the game, he had became the town's first resident dragonslayer, not that he actually believed dragons exist. Naturally, I was hooked on the setting.
Mark then spent the next couple of years developing the setting, writing, play-testing and finally coming up with a complete color book with evocative art and everything. Check it out, it is very cool. I snapped up a copy of Marchland from Mark and played in a Marchland game last year at Dragonflight.
Earlier this year, I asked him if he was interested in playing in Marchland instead of GMing it (hey, what author wouldn't want to, right? ) and so I ran a game for the enjoyment of Mark and our group.
Marchland: Internal Affairs had each of the PCs as cops in the Internal Affairs department of the Brighton Bay Police Department. Since there's not much police corruption going on, someone in City Hall is using the IA officers as investigators of the "strange and unusual" events going on around town.
Mark created a good background in the setting and I carefully selected sections of that exquisite detail to add to the game. I ran M:IA for a half-dozen sessions and the group faced some pretty interesting challenges. The first 'season' was a success and now I have plans on a second. Maybe I'll write up the game for my other blog sometime.
On with the interview!
Otyugh Talk: What scenes in games do you want to see more of and what is the best example of it?
Mark Woodside: I'd like to see more written about the transition from the "normal" world to the "fantastical" world. I put both of those in quotes, because they are very relative terms in gaming.
So what do I mean by this?
First, I'm a big fan of Christopher Vogler's "The Writer's Journey". You should read it. It brilliantly translates Joseph Campbell's "Hero With the Thousand Faces" into a guide for incorporating the hero's journey into story.
The RPGs we play are entirely derived from these kinds of stories, yet we leave out some of the most impactful parts of the journey. Once the call to adventure (read the book) has been accepted, we GMs tend to gloss over the transition and go right to "Roll for Initiative". I'm as guilty of this as anyone, however I crave the opportunity to try a more extended transition in my own games. Describing the transition in detail, reminding the players that they are leaving their community and it's support structure behind, emphasizing the shift from familiar to unsettling isolation - these things increase the tension and the drama of the game.
You can be sure that this type of gaming isn't for everyone. Some players and GMs just want to kill the orcs and loot the bodies. There's nothing wrong with this. Some of my favorite game experiences have been old school dungeon crawls. But for some, there is greater opportunity for group storytelling that just might create a deeper and more satisfying game experience.
Lastly, not all systems are created equal when it comes to this type of gaming. Story games that encourage players to create their characters in-play would probably work better than systems in which characters are entirely generated pre-game.
OT: If you were paid big bucks to create a new edition of a game, which game would you want to revise?
MW: That's a tough one. Can I do two? OK, just one.
I would revise The Whispering Vault. It's a wonderfully dark, moody fantasy game that for its time (early 90's) is pretty revolutionary in terms of system, style, and theme.
By default Whispering Vault is a modern fantasy setting. However, games can take place in any historical period with little adjustment. Players too can be of any time period or locale and there is a lot of freedom for personal expression in character creation.
It's also the only game that I'm aware of that attempts to adapt the hero's journey to game play.
One change I would make is to incorporate the deep character backgrounds of the Nephilim RPG. See what I did there? I sneaked in the other game I would revise. I just can't be trusted.
Both of these games are available as PDFs online. Whispering Vault through Paizo, and Nephilim through DriveThruRPG. Please don't pirate them. They're worth the price.
[Ed. Whispering Vault is available from Paizo and Nephilim is on DrivethruRPG]
OT: How would you incorporate an Otyugh into Marchland?
MW: The Otyugh would definitely be a creature of the Oubliette.
I envision a series of trials in which several Otyugh and the PCs are trapped in a series of mazes. The PCs must collect gems to be used as tribute for the Saffron Queen. Randomly scattered about the mazes are artifacts that temporarily drive the Otyugh into a blind panic during which they flee from the PCs. This is only a temporary reprieve however, so the PCs must collect all the gems before the Otyugh catch them. :)
[Ed. hmmmm, I must use this in our next Marchland: Internal Affairs game.....]
Thanks, Mark, for answering these questions. See you next game!
You can find a review of Marchland on Game Geeks youtube channel, episode #233 to be specific, and another review on the Solace of Savagery blog.
Marchland is available in print from Amazon and PDF from DrivethruRPG. A Player's Guide PDF is available from DrivethruRPG, too. Marchland eBook, with some cool features (including audio), is also available on the iTunes store (simply search for it and it'll pop up).
Still more interviews to come!
Friday, July 11, 2014
Thursday, July 10, 2014
[Interview #8] Carol at AGC, All Games Considered & Secret Life of Girl Gamers
Carol is another host of the award winning All Games Considered podcast (she joined the cast after Mark and Chris – and IIRC Glondar – but before Mags).
And she co-hosted the Secret Life of Girl Gamers, with other girl gamers. It ran for 9 episodes.
She's edited game books (I don't recall which ones, but she's mentioned them several times on AGC) and has a fondness for libraries.
She also loves Changeling: The Dreaming. It's the game Carol cut her GMing teeth on. A one-shot that was supposed to last one session lasted many, many years. She's mentioned it a lot on AGC.
Carol was kind enough to sit down with Otyugh Talk.
Of course I had to ask her what other genres she liked besides urban fantasy.....
Otyugh Talk: You've talked extensively on All Games Considered for your love of Changeling: The Dreaming, so we're well familiar with your favorite urban fantasy game. So let's switch genres: What is your favorite historical game and why?
Carol at AGC: Well, I'm rather fond of Victorian/Steampunk. Games like Victoriana, Victorian Lost, Space 1889, and Widening Gyre are all fun settings. Why? There's a lot of fiction that inspires my roleplay. Fiction that draws me in also gets my imagination going, thinking "what else could happen in that world?" That's where the RPGs come in.
Books like The Importance of Being Earnest, To Say Nothing of the Dog, Stardust, The Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences series are ones that I re-read all the time (I'm a backer of the upcoming RPG set in the Ministry world as well). I realize that Steampunk is pretty much period urban fantasy, so perhaps that is why I'm also drawn to it.
[Ed. I missed out on The Ministry Initiative Kickstarter. I hope we get one of Carol's famous AGC reviews on it.]
OT: Do you reuse special NPCs for your games and which ones stand out in your mind?
CAGC: Reuse NPCs? Hm. Not really. I have favorite NPCs from the games that I've run. Most recently a White Court Vampire Virgin from House Skavis who spent most of the Dresden game I ran trying very hard not to turn. The PCs were helping him with that. When his girlfriend was killed in front of him, he rounded on her killer and made him feel so much despair that he killed himself, thus becoming full vampire. He now tries to keep some distance between himself and the PCs in order to protect them from his Hunger, but at the same time knows that their friendship helps keep him from killing anyone else. He is studying to be a social worker. It's a perverse way to feed - as he draws the despair of his patients to the fore he tries to help them deal with it and eventually heal. His goal is to help them out of being a food source for him.
I try to create NPCs with the potential for depth and growth. If the PCs are interested in the NPCs, they will (hopefully) grow and develop together. I try to give them lives and stories that do not revolve around the PCs and their problems.
OT: What would be your "elevator pitch" for an Otyugh-themed adventure?
CAGC: I'm not very familiar with Otyugh, but from what I've read here it goes: The PCs come to a town that's pristine, very well kept, and yet no one seems to have a "dirty job." The populace is extremely well-behaved. No one dares start any kind of altercation. They're approached by one of the Otyugh who tell them he and his people have been enslaved as living waste dumps and corpse disposal, and beg their help in securing their freedom.
Carol also commented "Thanks again for choosing me for an interview - this was fun - and thanks for listening :)"
Thanks, Carol!
I've got more interviews in my queue, so keep checking back here!
And she co-hosted the Secret Life of Girl Gamers, with other girl gamers. It ran for 9 episodes.
She's edited game books (I don't recall which ones, but she's mentioned them several times on AGC) and has a fondness for libraries.
She also loves Changeling: The Dreaming. It's the game Carol cut her GMing teeth on. A one-shot that was supposed to last one session lasted many, many years. She's mentioned it a lot on AGC.
Carol was kind enough to sit down with Otyugh Talk.
Of course I had to ask her what other genres she liked besides urban fantasy.....
Otyugh Talk: You've talked extensively on All Games Considered for your love of Changeling: The Dreaming, so we're well familiar with your favorite urban fantasy game. So let's switch genres: What is your favorite historical game and why?
Carol at AGC: Well, I'm rather fond of Victorian/Steampunk. Games like Victoriana, Victorian Lost, Space 1889, and Widening Gyre are all fun settings. Why? There's a lot of fiction that inspires my roleplay. Fiction that draws me in also gets my imagination going, thinking "what else could happen in that world?" That's where the RPGs come in.
Books like The Importance of Being Earnest, To Say Nothing of the Dog, Stardust, The Ministry of Peculiar Occurrences series are ones that I re-read all the time (I'm a backer of the upcoming RPG set in the Ministry world as well). I realize that Steampunk is pretty much period urban fantasy, so perhaps that is why I'm also drawn to it.
[Ed. I missed out on The Ministry Initiative Kickstarter. I hope we get one of Carol's famous AGC reviews on it.]
OT: Do you reuse special NPCs for your games and which ones stand out in your mind?
CAGC: Reuse NPCs? Hm. Not really. I have favorite NPCs from the games that I've run. Most recently a White Court Vampire Virgin from House Skavis who spent most of the Dresden game I ran trying very hard not to turn. The PCs were helping him with that. When his girlfriend was killed in front of him, he rounded on her killer and made him feel so much despair that he killed himself, thus becoming full vampire. He now tries to keep some distance between himself and the PCs in order to protect them from his Hunger, but at the same time knows that their friendship helps keep him from killing anyone else. He is studying to be a social worker. It's a perverse way to feed - as he draws the despair of his patients to the fore he tries to help them deal with it and eventually heal. His goal is to help them out of being a food source for him.
I try to create NPCs with the potential for depth and growth. If the PCs are interested in the NPCs, they will (hopefully) grow and develop together. I try to give them lives and stories that do not revolve around the PCs and their problems.
OT: What would be your "elevator pitch" for an Otyugh-themed adventure?
CAGC: I'm not very familiar with Otyugh, but from what I've read here it goes: The PCs come to a town that's pristine, very well kept, and yet no one seems to have a "dirty job." The populace is extremely well-behaved. No one dares start any kind of altercation. They're approached by one of the Otyugh who tell them he and his people have been enslaved as living waste dumps and corpse disposal, and beg their help in securing their freedom.
Carol also commented "Thanks again for choosing me for an interview - this was fun - and thanks for listening :)"
Thanks, Carol!
I've got more interviews in my queue, so keep checking back here!
Monday, July 7, 2014
[Interview #7] Meguey Baker, Night Sky Games
Meguey Baker is the author of One Thousand and One Nights and Psi*Run, two indie RPGs published by her company, Night Sky Games.
She also has an essay in Unframed: The Art of Improvisation for Game Masters a book published by Engine Publishing, the Gnome Stew blog folks, and participated in Names: The Story Games Name Project.
Otyugh Talk asked Meguey some questions and she was kind enough to respond. Thanks!
Forward to the interview!
Otyugh Talk: What myths exist in the gaming community that you wish would just die?
Meguey Baker: There are several, but the very top ones are that girls/women don't play games of all kinds and that teenage boys are just terrible in general and are to blame for any poor behavior in the community. After that, the myth that a good GM can make a game great - a poorly designed game is a poorly designed game, and if the GM is the only thing making it work, that's a real shame.
[Ed. good examples of myths that need to die!]
OT: Have you ever played RPGs online using Skype or Google+ hangout with Roll20 and do you think this is the future of gaming?
MB: I've played a few games over G+ hangouts, but I haven't used Roll20. It's undoubtedly part of the future - it's part of the present - but it is not the future.
OT: Tell me about your favorite character. Did it ever battle an Otyugh?
MB: My favorite character was a detective in a Cyberpunk game, and no, he did not battle an Otyugh. He hunted a serial killer who turned out to be an honest-to-goodness vampire.
Meguey, thanks for taking this interview.
More interviews to come.....
She also has an essay in Unframed: The Art of Improvisation for Game Masters a book published by Engine Publishing, the Gnome Stew blog folks, and participated in Names: The Story Games Name Project.
Otyugh Talk asked Meguey some questions and she was kind enough to respond. Thanks!
Forward to the interview!
Otyugh Talk: What myths exist in the gaming community that you wish would just die?
Meguey Baker: There are several, but the very top ones are that girls/women don't play games of all kinds and that teenage boys are just terrible in general and are to blame for any poor behavior in the community. After that, the myth that a good GM can make a game great - a poorly designed game is a poorly designed game, and if the GM is the only thing making it work, that's a real shame.
[Ed. good examples of myths that need to die!]
OT: Have you ever played RPGs online using Skype or Google+ hangout with Roll20 and do you think this is the future of gaming?
MB: I've played a few games over G+ hangouts, but I haven't used Roll20. It's undoubtedly part of the future - it's part of the present - but it is not the future.
OT: Tell me about your favorite character. Did it ever battle an Otyugh?
MB: My favorite character was a detective in a Cyberpunk game, and no, he did not battle an Otyugh. He hunted a serial killer who turned out to be an honest-to-goodness vampire.
Meguey, thanks for taking this interview.
More interviews to come.....
Friday, July 4, 2014
[Interview #6] Mark Plemmons, Corporia
Corporia!
OK, I'm done.
No, not really.
Mark Plemmons worked at Kenzer & Company for over a decade, co-author of Aces & Eights: Player's Guidebook, Kingdoms of Kalamar: Player's Guide to the Sovereign Lands, plus contributed to Hackmaster and Knights of the Dinner Table and more. He guided over 170 game products through inception to publication while at Kenzer (you can see a bunch on DriveThruRPG).
So, yes, he has game experience.
Recently, he ran a successful Kickstarter for Corporia, an urban fantasy melding the Knights of the Round Table with corporate America.
Brilliant!
And the book is beautiful.
I know because, though I missed out on the Kickstarter, I managed to snag a copy straight from Mark.
You can find more about Corporia here and more on Mark's blog here.
Mark was kind enough to chat with Otyugh Talk and here's the interview.
Otyugh Talk: If you were known as The (celebrity) of Gaming (e.g. The Johnny Carson of Gaming, the Dr. Ruth of Gaming), who would that be and why?
Mark Plemmons: I feel like I'd be "The Ben Browder of Gaming." We're both North Carolina natives who left home for a bigger city and worked on some fairly well-known franchises. Now, we're mostly focused on smaller projects that are still in the same realm of geekdom. And we both like Claudia Black...
[Ed. Ben Browder played Cameron Mitchell in Stargate SG-1 and John Crichton in Farscape, favorite characters in both shows here in the Rubbish Pile]
OT: What was the most memorable positive feedback on your work?
MP: The most memorable positive feedback I think I've gotten was how the HackMaster fans enjoyed the "Chainmail Bikini of Remote Eye-Gouging" magic item in that system's GameMaster's Guide. As I recall, it was just something I invented on the spur of the moment, based on a piece of art we'd received that showed a chainmail bikini top with lots of spikes and points. I didn't think any more about it, but over the years I kept hearing about how funny it was.
OT: How would you incorporate an Otyugh into Corporia? Would it be a weird pet of some Morlocks?
MP: If an Otyugh showed up in Corporia, yes, it would definitely dwell in the city's sewer system where Morlocks can sometimes be found - but it would probably eat any of them it encountered! If I were gamemastering a session of Corporia that featured an Otyugh, it would be a unique - and pregnant - creature that accidentally fell through one of the rift anomalies from another dimension. The Knightwatch (the players) would have to track it down and eliminate it before it spawned, and they would have to use force or diplomacy to deal with the other homeless creatures or mutated humans that make the underground access tunnels their home.
[Ed. Spawning Otyughs is my new band name]
Mark also said "Hey, nice to hear from you. I'm glad you're enjoying Corporia! And the new blog sounds interesting - I'd be happy to contribute." and continued with "Corporia is available digitally on DriveThruRPG and RPGNow, and hardcopies of the limited Kickstarter print run can be ordered directly from me, or in UK/Europe from leisuregames.com."
This is the first of the Marks I've interviewed so please stay tuned!
OK, I'm done.
No, not really.
Mark Plemmons worked at Kenzer & Company for over a decade, co-author of Aces & Eights: Player's Guidebook, Kingdoms of Kalamar: Player's Guide to the Sovereign Lands, plus contributed to Hackmaster and Knights of the Dinner Table and more. He guided over 170 game products through inception to publication while at Kenzer (you can see a bunch on DriveThruRPG).
So, yes, he has game experience.
Recently, he ran a successful Kickstarter for Corporia, an urban fantasy melding the Knights of the Round Table with corporate America.
Brilliant!
And the book is beautiful.
I know because, though I missed out on the Kickstarter, I managed to snag a copy straight from Mark.
You can find more about Corporia here and more on Mark's blog here.
Mark was kind enough to chat with Otyugh Talk and here's the interview.
Otyugh Talk: If you were known as The (celebrity) of Gaming (e.g. The Johnny Carson of Gaming, the Dr. Ruth of Gaming), who would that be and why?
Mark Plemmons: I feel like I'd be "The Ben Browder of Gaming." We're both North Carolina natives who left home for a bigger city and worked on some fairly well-known franchises. Now, we're mostly focused on smaller projects that are still in the same realm of geekdom. And we both like Claudia Black...
[Ed. Ben Browder played Cameron Mitchell in Stargate SG-1 and John Crichton in Farscape, favorite characters in both shows here in the Rubbish Pile]
OT: What was the most memorable positive feedback on your work?
MP: The most memorable positive feedback I think I've gotten was how the HackMaster fans enjoyed the "Chainmail Bikini of Remote Eye-Gouging" magic item in that system's GameMaster's Guide. As I recall, it was just something I invented on the spur of the moment, based on a piece of art we'd received that showed a chainmail bikini top with lots of spikes and points. I didn't think any more about it, but over the years I kept hearing about how funny it was.
OT: How would you incorporate an Otyugh into Corporia? Would it be a weird pet of some Morlocks?
MP: If an Otyugh showed up in Corporia, yes, it would definitely dwell in the city's sewer system where Morlocks can sometimes be found - but it would probably eat any of them it encountered! If I were gamemastering a session of Corporia that featured an Otyugh, it would be a unique - and pregnant - creature that accidentally fell through one of the rift anomalies from another dimension. The Knightwatch (the players) would have to track it down and eliminate it before it spawned, and they would have to use force or diplomacy to deal with the other homeless creatures or mutated humans that make the underground access tunnels their home.
[Ed. Spawning Otyughs is my new band name]
Mark also said "Hey, nice to hear from you. I'm glad you're enjoying Corporia! And the new blog sounds interesting - I'd be happy to contribute." and continued with "Corporia is available digitally on DriveThruRPG and RPGNow, and hardcopies of the limited Kickstarter print run can be ordered directly from me, or in UK/Europe from leisuregames.com."
This is the first of the Marks I've interviewed so please stay tuned!
Monday, June 30, 2014
[Interview #5] Storn Cook, Artist and Son of Kryos
I was aware of Storn the Podcaster before I was aware of Storn the Artist.
Sure, I'd seen his art but it's different when you realize "Hey, I've heard this guy talk about gaming!"
Storn was on the late and much-missed Sons of Kryos with Judd and Jeff. I've got all 60 odd episodes of SoK and usually listen to them from beginning to end every year or two. They are that good. Storn came into the podcast about 15 or so episodes in and added a thoughtfulness to the discussion that I really appreciated, rounding out the crew.
As an artist, Storn has done illustrations for West End Games' Star Wars (he's got his own page on Wookiepedia!), Pinnacle Entertainment's Savage Worlds, as well as other Savage Worlds products (like Winterweir by Phipps Studios), and more. You can find his blog here, his Photobucket here and his Deviant Art page here.
Onward to the interview!
Otyugh Talk: Have you mentored a new GM and what skills did you pass on?
Storn Cook: Yes. To think about balancing an encounter and letting the ramifications of players actions happen without judgement.
[Ed. Yes!]
OT: Are there dice you want that you currently don't have?
SC: No. Not really.
OT: Have you ever drawn an Otyugh?
SC: Yes. A while back and I cannot remember if it was for Kenzer or AEG, but it was some 3rd party dungeon module for open license 3rd edition.
[Ed. Fans, check your 3rd edition products! A free Sea Otyugh starter kitTM to the first minion that provides the info on the product and page!]
Storn also said "Hi Matt. Thanks for the opportunity to spout off..."
Thanks, Storn, for taking the time.
Be sure to check out Storn's illustrations!
More interviews soon!
Sure, I'd seen his art but it's different when you realize "Hey, I've heard this guy talk about gaming!"
Storn was on the late and much-missed Sons of Kryos with Judd and Jeff. I've got all 60 odd episodes of SoK and usually listen to them from beginning to end every year or two. They are that good. Storn came into the podcast about 15 or so episodes in and added a thoughtfulness to the discussion that I really appreciated, rounding out the crew.
As an artist, Storn has done illustrations for West End Games' Star Wars (he's got his own page on Wookiepedia!), Pinnacle Entertainment's Savage Worlds, as well as other Savage Worlds products (like Winterweir by Phipps Studios), and more. You can find his blog here, his Photobucket here and his Deviant Art page here.
Onward to the interview!
Otyugh Talk: Have you mentored a new GM and what skills did you pass on?
Storn Cook: Yes. To think about balancing an encounter and letting the ramifications of players actions happen without judgement.
[Ed. Yes!]
OT: Are there dice you want that you currently don't have?
SC: No. Not really.
OT: Have you ever drawn an Otyugh?
SC: Yes. A while back and I cannot remember if it was for Kenzer or AEG, but it was some 3rd party dungeon module for open license 3rd edition.
[Ed. Fans, check your 3rd edition products! A free Sea Otyugh starter kitTM to the first minion that provides the info on the product and page!]
Storn also said "Hi Matt. Thanks for the opportunity to spout off..."
Thanks, Storn, for taking the time.
Be sure to check out Storn's illustrations!
More interviews soon!
Thursday, June 26, 2014
[Interview #4] Timothy Brannan, Ghosts of Albion
Timothy Brannan writes The Other Side blog but don't make the mistake of thinking that's all.
I first read his Zatanna Saturday posts (I mean, really, who doesn't like Zatanna?), his Black Rose five-parter (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, a mash-up of TSR's Ravenloft and Green Ronin's Blue Rose settings) and then his various system conversions of the characters Willow & Tara from Buffy the Vampire Slayer TV show.
Before I knew it, I had ordered one of his books: Ghosts of Albion RPG, published by Eden Studios. The PDF was great but, boy, was I glad to finally get that hardback in the mail. (What I didn't realize was that I already had some books that Timothy contributed to, including the Buffy the Vampire Slayer RPG, Core and Revised Core, and it's supplements: The Slayer's Handbook, Monster Smackdown, and The Magic Box).
Timothy also has written a number of other books, on a subject that he often writes about on his blog, witches. They are Strange Brew: The Ultimate Witch and Warlock sourcebook for Castles & Crusades, The Witch: A sourcebook for Basic Edition fantasy games, and Eldritch Witchery, a sourcebook for Spellcraft & Swordplay.
Timothy was kind enough to come into the Otyugh studio and answer some of my questions:
Otyugh Talk: What was the most memorable critique you had on your work and how did you learn from it?
Timothy Brannan: During the playtests of Ghosts of Albion I was working on a new magic system. I had reworked it and added a bunch of what I thought were cool features. Turned out that my "cool features" not only bogged down the game, but had a neat little loophole in them that let my party of playtesters destroy all my big bads in the first act. The advise I got then was "keep it simple". Turns out this was the best advice/critique ever.
Simple rules are easier to abstract and then they get out of the way. I know old school gamers love their tables. Forget that, give me a unified mechanic, a few target numbers and a rule of thumb and I can run a game without having to pause to look a rule up.
[Ed. Hokey Smokes! I'm sure that was a surprise!]
OT: A shy player is at your table and you are the GM. What do you do to get that player comfortable and involved in the game?
TB: I have run into this situation at cons before. Of course I first need to figure out if the shy person wants to be more involved. Most do, but some enjoy sitting back and being part of the story. As the GM I try to find things that this player's character is perfectly suited for. Maybe they have something in their background, or they have the only skill that can help. I prefer to find a role-playing based solution rather than a game mechanics one. They may have the right skill, but one bad roll can make things worse. So focus what they can contribute on their own.
There really is nothing like the feeling of seeing a shy person come out of their shell with a look of "yes, I can do this!" on their face. In any case people don't get to stay shy in my games. I like seeing a lot of role-playing.
OT. There are unsubstantiated rumors circulating that Gary Gygax almost used Otyughs & Rock-Cut Architecture as the title for Dungeons & Dragons. Do you think we'd have more architects and Otyughs in gaming today if he had used that name?
TB: Where are you getting your rumors? ;) I would have to say no to be honest. The reason the game was so popular in the early days was because "Dungeons & Dragons" rolls off the tongue so easily. But if he had gone with that name Architect would be a class (favored by Dwarves and Gnomes I am sure) and we would have more choices than just Otyugh and Neo-Otyugh. They could have been what the Mind Flayers are now. Except grosser.
Now Otyughs & Oubliettes has a certain ring to it...
[Ed. Hmmm, yes, an Oubliette would work .... or Otyughs & Obelisks....]
Timothy also said "Thanks for the note! I always enjoyed Asshat Paladins! I had hoped to do more with Edith, I liked the idea of a Harpy Witch." [Ed. Yes, Edith was quite the hit with the players and has made several appearances in my games. I hope you do get that opportunity.]
There it is: Interview #4 in the can. Statics have shown that 50% of Otyugh Talk interviews are with people named Timothy, so expect more Tim-Talk in the future! (No, not really. The next few are not named Tim, sorry to disappoint but thems the breaks).
I first read his Zatanna Saturday posts (I mean, really, who doesn't like Zatanna?), his Black Rose five-parter (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, a mash-up of TSR's Ravenloft and Green Ronin's Blue Rose settings) and then his various system conversions of the characters Willow & Tara from Buffy the Vampire Slayer TV show.
Timothy also has written a number of other books, on a subject that he often writes about on his blog, witches. They are Strange Brew: The Ultimate Witch and Warlock sourcebook for Castles & Crusades, The Witch: A sourcebook for Basic Edition fantasy games, and Eldritch Witchery, a sourcebook for Spellcraft & Swordplay.
Timothy was kind enough to come into the Otyugh studio and answer some of my questions:
Otyugh Talk: What was the most memorable critique you had on your work and how did you learn from it?
Timothy Brannan: During the playtests of Ghosts of Albion I was working on a new magic system. I had reworked it and added a bunch of what I thought were cool features. Turned out that my "cool features" not only bogged down the game, but had a neat little loophole in them that let my party of playtesters destroy all my big bads in the first act. The advise I got then was "keep it simple". Turns out this was the best advice/critique ever.
Simple rules are easier to abstract and then they get out of the way. I know old school gamers love their tables. Forget that, give me a unified mechanic, a few target numbers and a rule of thumb and I can run a game without having to pause to look a rule up.
[Ed. Hokey Smokes! I'm sure that was a surprise!]
OT: A shy player is at your table and you are the GM. What do you do to get that player comfortable and involved in the game?
TB: I have run into this situation at cons before. Of course I first need to figure out if the shy person wants to be more involved. Most do, but some enjoy sitting back and being part of the story. As the GM I try to find things that this player's character is perfectly suited for. Maybe they have something in their background, or they have the only skill that can help. I prefer to find a role-playing based solution rather than a game mechanics one. They may have the right skill, but one bad roll can make things worse. So focus what they can contribute on their own.
There really is nothing like the feeling of seeing a shy person come out of their shell with a look of "yes, I can do this!" on their face. In any case people don't get to stay shy in my games. I like seeing a lot of role-playing.
OT. There are unsubstantiated rumors circulating that Gary Gygax almost used Otyughs & Rock-Cut Architecture as the title for Dungeons & Dragons. Do you think we'd have more architects and Otyughs in gaming today if he had used that name?
TB: Where are you getting your rumors? ;) I would have to say no to be honest. The reason the game was so popular in the early days was because "Dungeons & Dragons" rolls off the tongue so easily. But if he had gone with that name Architect would be a class (favored by Dwarves and Gnomes I am sure) and we would have more choices than just Otyugh and Neo-Otyugh. They could have been what the Mind Flayers are now. Except grosser.
Now Otyughs & Oubliettes has a certain ring to it...
[Ed. Hmmm, yes, an Oubliette would work .... or Otyughs & Obelisks....]
Timothy also said "Thanks for the note! I always enjoyed Asshat Paladins! I had hoped to do more with Edith, I liked the idea of a Harpy Witch." [Ed. Yes, Edith was quite the hit with the players and has made several appearances in my games. I hope you do get that opportunity.]
There it is: Interview #4 in the can. Statics have shown that 50% of Otyugh Talk interviews are with people named Timothy, so expect more Tim-Talk in the future! (No, not really. The next few are not named Tim, sorry to disappoint but thems the breaks).
Friday, June 20, 2014
[Interview #3] AGC Mags, All Games Considered
Our third interview is with one of the hosts of All Games Considered. AGC won the 2009 Ennie Best Podcast Gold Award and the 2010 Ennie Best Podcast Silver Award.
I've been a listener of AGC for a long, long time. It's one of my first gaming podcasts.
I don't remember exactly when Mags joined the cast (and, quite frankly, I didn't want to waste a question on that). But what's that matter? She's fit seamlessly into the show and contributed greatly to it's success.
Mags added fresh new segments to the repertoire of the podcast, and soon The Mags the Axe School of GMing (School Slogan: "You must taste blood to be a GM") and the recipe-laden RPG Buffett ("Playing games with our food since 2004") became fan favorites. I, as a fan, heartily recommend them.
Mags is also active in the online gaming forum community, serving as one of the Mods over at RPG.net, and is heavily involved in Louisville's sci-fi and fantasy convention, ConGlomeration.
On with the interview!
Otyugh Talk: What other podcasts, besides your own, do you listen to and what have you learned from their format that you've incorporated into your podcast?
AGC Mags: I haven't been listening to anything but Welcome to Nightvale (sic) lately, but in the past I've listened to TWiT, the Jennisodes, and Atomic Array. I have several episodes of Ken and Robin Talk About Stuff to listen to.
What have I learned? The importance of really, truly listening to your guests and not anticipating or thinking ahead to the next stage of the conversation.
[Ed. Atomic Array and Jennisodes are favorite podcasts with the Otyughs. I will have to check out the other three. Thanks for the recommendations.]
OT: Have you ever turned a rules lawyer into an asset?
AM: Yes. I designated him my Werewolf: the Apocalypse Rules Judge in a Classic WoD Crossover LARP. He was brilliant in the role.
OT: How would you incorporate an Otyugh into your current campaign?
AM: I wouldn't, since (a) I don't run D&D, (b) I'm not currently running a campaign, and (c) I never saw anything appealing about that creature.
[Ed. Oh, the humanity!]
Thanks for taking the time to answer these questions, Mags!
And thank you, gentle Readers, for joining us today. Check back for more interviews. Announcements to come on my Twitter feed (see sidebar)!
Adieu!
I've been a listener of AGC for a long, long time. It's one of my first gaming podcasts.
I don't remember exactly when Mags joined the cast (and, quite frankly, I didn't want to waste a question on that). But what's that matter? She's fit seamlessly into the show and contributed greatly to it's success.
Mags added fresh new segments to the repertoire of the podcast, and soon The Mags the Axe School of GMing (School Slogan: "You must taste blood to be a GM") and the recipe-laden RPG Buffett ("Playing games with our food since 2004") became fan favorites. I, as a fan, heartily recommend them.
Mags is also active in the online gaming forum community, serving as one of the Mods over at RPG.net, and is heavily involved in Louisville's sci-fi and fantasy convention, ConGlomeration.
On with the interview!
Otyugh Talk: What other podcasts, besides your own, do you listen to and what have you learned from their format that you've incorporated into your podcast?
AGC Mags: I haven't been listening to anything but Welcome to Nightvale (sic) lately, but in the past I've listened to TWiT, the Jennisodes, and Atomic Array. I have several episodes of Ken and Robin Talk About Stuff to listen to.
What have I learned? The importance of really, truly listening to your guests and not anticipating or thinking ahead to the next stage of the conversation.
[Ed. Atomic Array and Jennisodes are favorite podcasts with the Otyughs. I will have to check out the other three. Thanks for the recommendations.]
OT: Have you ever turned a rules lawyer into an asset?
AM: Yes. I designated him my Werewolf: the Apocalypse Rules Judge in a Classic WoD Crossover LARP. He was brilliant in the role.
OT: How would you incorporate an Otyugh into your current campaign?
AM: I wouldn't, since (a) I don't run D&D, (b) I'm not currently running a campaign, and (c) I never saw anything appealing about that creature.
[Ed. Oh, the humanity!]
Thanks for taking the time to answer these questions, Mags!
And thank you, gentle Readers, for joining us today. Check back for more interviews. Announcements to come on my Twitter feed (see sidebar)!
Adieu!
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